A federal grant has allowed local fire inspectors to be recruited as part of this new measure of protection. Dozens of inspectors in Bergen County will carry a handheld radiation detector as they make their normal rounds. Several other counties in northern New Jersey are also giving their fire inspectors radiation detectors.

“We have a process in place where one of these detectors goes off, the fire inspector has been trained to read them to see what they are indicating, identify the source, and then start the process in calling the bomb squad,” Higgins said.

According to the police chief, giving the fire inspectors radiation detectors to bring with them on inspections will add the opportunity to detect anything that may be giving off a radiation signature.